Score counting device for ball games



May 9, 1950 s. E. CARLSON SCORE COUNTING DEVICE FOR BALL GAMES 2 Sheets-Sheer. l

Filed March 2, 1946 IVVEIVTORn May 9, 1950 s. E. CARLSON 2,506,825

scoRE coUNTING DEVICE FOR BALL GAMES Filed March 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. m/waa CA/PLSUA/ Patented May 9, 1950 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCGRE COUN TIN G DEVICE FOR BALL GAMES Samuel E. Carlson, Alhambra, Calif.

Application March 2, 1946, Serial No. 651,552

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvementsI in games.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved game wherein there is a suitable support or pedestal on opposite sides of which two opposing players may dispose themselves and which has a stem rotatably mounted thereon to which a ball is flexibly and resiliently connected that is adapted to be struck or batted by the opposing players in opposite directions and cause thev stem to rotate sympathetically therewith.

More specifically, another object of the invention is to provide a gamer having the abovementioned characteristics which is provided with means for registering the number of revolutions made by the stem with relation to the pedestal or supportl in both directions so that the success of one player in striking' or'batting the ball about. the pedestal over the opposition of his opponent maybe scored, or tallied'.

Still another object ofY the invention is to provide a game as above described wherein the stem and standard on which it is rotatably mounted are vertically adjustable with relation to the pedestal so that the height of the ball mayY be readily adjusted to an elevation convenient to both players.

Another object of the invention isv to provide a novel, simple, and eicient registering or tallying means for indicating the score of each player.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appendedl claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an' illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figurev 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved gaxne embodying the present invention;

Fig.k 2 is a transverse vertical section through the recording mechanism, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theworking parts.

of the recording mechanism;

Figs. 4,` 5, 6, 7, and 8 are horizontal sections 8.-8, respectively, on Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken. substantially uponv the line 3 9 upon Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the clamping mechanism at the top of the pedestal; and

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line II-II upon Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying; drawingsV wherein similar referencey characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved game comprises a suitable pedestal indicated at IU preferably equipped with a, foot or base II by which the same may be anchored or supported in an upright position. The pedestal is preferably hollow and may be formed of square steel tubing or the equivalent. It may be formed' of opposed angle irons welded together along their meeting edges except adjacent the top thereof as indicated at I2. This hollow pedestal is adapted to receive in its top the lower end of a standard generally indicated at I3. This standard consists of two opposed angle irons that are spaced from each other throughout a substantial portion of their length and which are brought together as indicated at I4 so as to be receivable in the top of the pedestal. To one of the sides or angle irons of the pedestal there is secured a bracket l5 anda handle I6 is pivotally mounted upon this bracket. The handle presents cam or eccentric surfaces Il, see Fig. l1, which when the handle is swung downwardly will serve to draw the opposed sides of the top of the pedestal towards each other to clampingly engage upon the bottom of the standard I3. On swinging the handlev I6 into the horizontal or dotted line position shown in Fig. l, the pedestal may release the standard and allow the standard to be vertically adjusted. The two angle irons I8 and I9 which form the standard are disposed in spaced parallel relationship throughout the major portion oi' their length but near the top of the standard they are spaced as at 20 and are iinally joined t0- gether at 20a such as by Welding. The space at Z is designed to accommodate a sprocket or gear 2l rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin 22 that is rigidly mounted on a small plate 23 that may be welded or otherwise securedibetween the widened portions ofthe angle irons.v This pivot pin may have its extreme end threaded' for the application of a nut 24 to hold a cover plate 25 in appliedv position over the opening in the top of the standard. Similarly the opposite side of the plate 23 may have a threaded stud 26v for the retention ota cover plate 21.

In the extreme top of the standard there is rigidly mounted a bushingY 28 within which is rotatable a stem 29,. This stem may carry a pinned collar 3l) resting on top of the bushing and retained thereon by a cap 3l. The stem 29 is thus freely rotatable in the bushing 28. relatively to the standard I3 and pedestal I0. This stem has` attached thereto a ball or target 32 and the connection 33 between the ball and the stem is preferably not only flexible but resilient. For this purpose coiled.Y Wire tubing is highly accesso suitable and it may be reenforced or stiifened as indicated at 34. The flexibility of the connection 33 enables the ball to move in all directions relatively to the stem but as the ball swings about the stem the resiliency of the connection causes the stern 29 to rotate sympathetically therewith.

Means is provided for recording or tallying the number of revolutions made by the stem relatively to the pedestal and standard in both directions. To this end the stem 2S is preferably hollow and has its lower end deformed to provide a scroll or spiral indicated at 35, see Fig. 9. The space between the ends of the scroll or spiral is such as to accommodate one tooth on the sprocket or gear 2l so that when the stem 2e is rotated one complete revolution in either direction the sprocket or gear will be advanced thereby in the corresponding direction a distance of one tooth.

On opposite sides of the sprocket or gear 2l there are pulleys Stand 3l and a cord or flexible element 38 has its ends trained thereover. The central portion of the cord or ilexible element extends through a U-shaped tube 39 from which may be suspended a weight Lili. The ends of the cord or flexible element are connected to guides or runners lll and d2, the sides of which embrace the sides of the angle irons i8 and it, respectively The sides of the runners are preferably pointed so as to function as indices traversing graduated scales 43 and 4d Yon the angle irons I8 and i9. Triangular-shaped rings 65 and 45 are pivotally connected to the runners and surround their rcspective angle irons le and lg. These rings normally assume a downwardly and outwardly inclined position and are engageable with serrations l? and d8 on the angle irons.

In playing the improved game opposing players arrange themselves on opposite sides of the standard or pedestal and endeavor to strike or bat the ball 32 in opposite directions about the pedestal. The striking or batting of the ball may be done by hand or with a bat or racquet. If one player misses the ball as it is swung toward him around the pedestal the ball will continue and make one complete revolution. As the stem 29 rotates sympathetically with the ball rotation of this stem causes the sprocket or gear to be advanced in the corresponding direction of the successful player. The rotation or advancement of the sprocket or gear '2l causes the pulleys 35 and 3l to be turned in the same direction and to the same degree. This will tend to lower one of the runners, for example the runner lil, and to elevate the runner 42. Upward movement of the runner 42, however, is resisted by its ring et remaining locked on one f the serrations i8 so that this runner does not ascend. Runner 4l however descends a distance of one of the graduations on the scale 43 and in so doing its ring 135 merely drops to engage the serration next below. l1- the successful player thereafter misses the ball 32 after the ball has been struck in the opposite direction by an opponent the ball will cause the stem 2s to complete one revolution in the opposite direction and the gear or sprocket 2 I is consequently rotated a distance of one tooth in the reverse direction. The pulleys St and 3l are consequently reversely rotated tending to lift the runner 4l and to lower the runner d2. The elevation of the runner 4l is resisted by the ring 45 engaging its serration il and runner 42 is allowed to descend a distance of one graduation on the scale. During this movement the pulley 3l associated with runner 4I merely skids with relation to the flexible element tions to indicate the extent to which either end 38 trained thereover. As the game proceeds each revolution of the stem 29 is recorded or tallied by the runners 4l and 42 descending on their respective scales on the standard I3. Reverse r0- taticn of the stem 29 does not involve a lifting of either of the runners or a subtraction from a tallied score. Consequently the total number of rotations of the stem and of the ball is registered. Upon completion of the game it is merely necessary to lift the two rings t5 and 5 and the weight il@ will serve to pull the flexible element 33 across the pulleys lifting the runners to restore the runners to their uppermost positions.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that an improved game is provided which facilitates adjustment to properly position the ball with respect to the players and which accurately and automatically indicates the score of each player at all times.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as deilned by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A rotation register comprising pulley means mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a weighted flexible element suspended therefrom having its ends trained over the pulley means in opposite directions, means for rotating the pulley means in either direction to attempt to wind up one end of the flexible element on the pulley means and unwind the other end thereof, means permitting either end of the flexible element to descend as it unwinds from the pulley means but preventing elevation of the ends of the flexible element by the pulley means, and means for indicating the extent of descent of either end of the flexible element.

2. A rotation register comprising pulley means mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a weighted flexible element suspended therefrom having its ends trained over the pulley means in opposite directions, means for rotating the pulley means in either direction to attempt to wind up one end of the ilexible element on the pulley means and unwind the other end thereof, a standard enclosing the flexible element presenting downwardly directed ratchet teeth on the opposite sides thereof, and means secured to the ends of the flexible element engagea-ble with the ratchet teeth for permitting either end of the flexible element to descend but preventing the ends being elevated by the pulley means.

3. A rotation register comprising pulley means mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a weighted flexible element suspended therefrom having its ends trained over the pulley means in opposite directions, means for rotating the pulley means in either direction to attempt to wind up one end of the flexible element on the pulley means and unwind the other end thereof, a standard enclosing the flexible element presenting downwardly directed ratchet teeth on the opposite sides thereof, and means secured to the ends of the flexible element engageable with the ratchet teeth for permitting either end of the flexible element to descend but preventing the ends being elevated by the pulley means, said standard having graduations on the exterior thereof and means carried by the ends of the flexible element arranged to traverse said graduaof the flexible element has been lowered.

5 4. A device of the class described including a vertically disposed rotatable stem, means for rotating the stem in either direction, a scroll at the bottom of the stem, a sprocket engageable by the scroll so that upon rotation of the stem in means permitting either end of the flexible ele- 15 ment to descend from the pulley means but preventing the ends being elevated thereby and means for indicating the extent to which either end has descended.

SAMUEL E. CARLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,161,171 Vertunni Nov. 23, 1915 1,345,789 Linley July 6, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 415,836 Great Britain Sept. 6, 1934 

